The Directorate General of Foreign Trade (DGFT) on August 06, 2026, notified regarding the Inclusion of eligible DPIIT-Recognized Start-ups under "Source from India" on the Trade Connect ePlatform.
The Trade Connect ePlatform is a Government of India digital initiative supporting Indian exporters, with "Source from India" as its flagship feature — a buyer-discovery microsite facility allowing international buyers to find Indian exporters and enabling exporters to showcase their products and credentials. As of 1st November 2025 (per Trade Notice 15/2025-26), eligibility for creating a "Source from India" microsite extended to all valid IEC holders (not on the DEL) with a minimum export realisation of USD 100,000 in any of the preceding three financial years, in addition to Status Holders, with DGFT's eBRC database serving as the sole source for verifying realisation data.
This Trade Notice now amends the eligibility criteria to specifically facilitate start-up exporters. DPIIT-recognized Start-ups meeting the existing eligibility criteria are encouraged to register and will receive a unique start-up badge on their profiles, with onboarding subject to verification of export activity through the DGFT IEC database. Notably, a special exception has been carved out: DPIIT-recognized Start-ups that do not meet the standard eligibility criteria may still register, provided they hold an active IEC and are not on the DEL list — recognizing their growing contribution of innovative products and services to India's export basket.
Eligible Start-up users (including those under the special exception) will automatically see the "Source from India" microsite creation option on their Trade Connect dashboard, with a detailed step-by-step guide annexed to the notice. Indian Missions Abroad have been sensitized to use this platform when assisting foreign buyers seeking Indian suppliers. Export Promotion Councils, Commodity Boards, and Industry Associations are requested to widely publicize this notice and encourage participation among eligible members.
[Trade Notice No. 16/2026-27]
